Sunday, March 20, 2011

Iran backs the revolt against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi but "doubts" the aims of Western powers pummelling the country with air strikes, the foreign ministry says.

"The position of the Islamic republic is to always back the people and their legitimate demands," Ramin Mehmanparast said on Sunday, quoted by ISNA news agency.

"The action and history of domineering (Western) nations in occupying oppressed nations always cast doubt over their true intentions," he said in reaction to the Western missile and air strikes unleashed on Libya.

The United States, Britain and France on Saturday launched air and sea strikes on targets of Gaddafi's regime under a UN Security Council resolution to enforce a no-fly zone over the North African nation.

Western countries "usually engage action with misleading slogans expressing support for the people, but in fact they seek their own interests to set up military bases", Mehmanparast said. Source